Rituals
by Ree-Vance
Summary: When you turn eighteen you are officially a adult. But before that, you must prove you can become one. A ritual persay. The circumstances may change, the conditions may change, but what doesn't is that you have to pass it. Or else.  Used to be: Dead Love


Rituals

Chapter one: I'm eighteen.

**I got this idea in my head...**

**And so I'll tell it to you.**

**I'll tell it slowly,**

**I'll tell it softly,**

**I'll tell it to you until you remember,**

**this idea in my head.**

**XXXXX**

A girl walked down a alley, swaggering back and forth. Her choked sobs echoed up and down the alley walls. It was a dark night, and very misty. The mist created a sort of horror film stage, it hung like a fog maybe a foot or a half off the ground. The girls walked further, eventually leaning all the way over to the right, she tripped, fell, and most of her body disappeared below the mist. Her choked sobs now became cries of pain and anguish. A figure watched the girl from the entrance of the alley.

In this world, we have the tenshi, those who are granted by god the power to heal. In this world, we have the shinigami, who are cursed by god the power to kill. God said to them, "Be fair in judgment, heal those who need it, kill those who deserve it."

The figure walked closer to the girl crumpled on the ground. Their footsteps were not heard, the mist swirling around the figure as it walked by, almost as if it was afraid to touch it. The girl cried louder. She managed to pull herself up, her back slouched. Her eyes were red and puffy, her mouth open wide in a endless howl, her cheeks red and covered in snot and salty tears. Her nose ran and it dribbled down to her now dirtied shirt. She stopped her wailing for a moment, just long enough for her to make out the shape of a broken piece of glass through her blurry eyes.

The tenshi then ran out and healed a boy who had fallen off a cliff.

The girl grabbed it tightly, the figure walked closer to her. The girl payed no mind to the mist leaving her form. She shook as she clenched the piece of glass tighter. Her wail starting up again. Her tears not ending, if not, increasing. The edges of the glass dug into her palm, it was soon streaked in a brilliant red color. She girl stared at it, her wail dying out again. Her tears stopped, her nose now dry. She lifted it up to the sky, as if to get a better view. She began to laugh loudly, laugh insanely. Her mouth widened into a big smile, her eyes didn't feel it. They went still as hurt and broken as before, just without the tears. The figure looked down at her, it reached behind it. The girl smiled and held the glass to her neck.

The shinigami followed and took the life of the boy who had pushed him.

The girl brought it across her skin in a swift motion. The figure pulled a long pole out from behind it, at the end a bright shimmering piece of metal. The girl only then noticed the figure behind her, she turned, still gripping the glass. She smiled again.

"Are you a tenshi?" She asked. The figure had a hood. The weapon still shining brightly, the girl turned her attention to this. Her smile failed her, her eyes went from anguish to horror. The figure raised it in the air. The girl opened her mouth to scream.

"Be not afraid," The figure said, it's voice a girl's. The weapon at it's height. "You are already gone." she brought it down in a swift motion.

"This is your job from now on," God had said standing next to them and their first deeds. "But worry not, you will not be alone. There will be others," God had smiled and placed a hand on each of their heads. "Just. Like. You."

The figure put the weapon back behind her. The girl now fading away, not into the air, but sinking into the earth. A body laid there, right where the girl had descended. The figure looked at it. Then raised it's head up to the sky. The hood slid off slowly, revealing the most beautiful auburn hair and dazzling emerald eyes. She sighed. She walked around the body. She kneeled before the body of the girl. Reaching out a pale hand, she closed the girl's eyes gently. She had a small, sad, smile on her lips as she did so. Her eyes sympathetic. The skin paled where she had touched the girl. She pulled her hand back into her robe, then she pulled up her hood.

"May your soul learn of your mistakes." She whispered drawing a soft circle in the air. She began to walk out of the alley, where the mist continued to swirl.

**XxXxX**

Crowds moved carefully yet ignorantly through the streets of Tokyo. Mixing the different classes together as one, greasers, preps, salary men, the innocent, the 'lurkers of the night'; all of them in one giant heap called a '_civilization'_. One, and only one mind you, was different from the homo sapiens trying to get from point A to point B, or just their next victim. The one, as that individual shall be called for now, watched all of the tiny ants crawling from their home to the big bag outside world.

The one would never admit it, but the one was quite fond of ants. They were able to work together in perfect harmony to get the job done. The one hardly doubted that there were any disputes inside their colony about who was better than the rest, and who was the lesser kind. They were equal in their eyes, constantly working for the same goal. The queen's happiness and the success of the family. It was beautiful, a symphony of what the humans always tried to accomplish.

But always failed.

Their kind was so, so destructive. They attacked and eliminated what was deemed 'below them' or 'different'. It was strange, they craved equality and individuality; yet harmed anything different from the mold. Just like the foot reigning new found terror on the ants the one was observing, humans would always turn a blind eye to their own habits.

"_Disgusting isn't it?_" A rough masculine voice sounded in a greater volume than the surrounding noises. Only the one could hear it, only the one was looking for it.

"Yes." A high voice said emitting itself from the one's body. "Absolutely grotesque."

The one, in fact, was a '_female'_, as she would be called on Earth. Her body stood no more than 5 feet and six inches above the ground, her width perfectly between anorexia and obesity. She was _perfect_, her body at least. It was all humans would look for in her anyway, if they even bothered to glance away from their own lives at her.

"_I have no idea why the council sent you here_." The male voice said again. The girl winced slightly at the tone of the voice. Her feet beginning to walk away from the crushed utopia. She was barefoot, her pale white skin a drastic contrast from the grimy pieces of tar humans called '_sidewalks_'. A normal human being would be afraid of the pain from colliding one's foot with the hard concrete, or the always present person that would step on your toes. She ignored all of these things and continued to walk amongst the crowd, she had no destination in mind. She was merely floating away on her feet aimlessly. Just to be walking somewhere. To appear as if she had a goal in her mind.

It would be nice to have one, she presumed.

"All, and I mean all," She began out loud, not one person raising an eyebrow at the cloaked girl speaking to herself. "qualifying shinigami must come to Earth. The location is set randomly, as you know by now, but everything else is preset." The crowd she was in suddenly stopped, she looked around to see what the cause of this phenomenon was, only to see a bright red light beaming down at them. How odd, she thought, for this single color to make all of the humans stop.

"_I know why! You little prick!_" The man yelled, she winced yet again.

"I'm not prick." The girl said calmly before walking once more with the group.

"_Shut up. Just shut up Sakura._" He said resignedly, a sigh visible in his voice.

The girl, Sakura, smiled softly before pulling the head of her cloak over her own head. It draped loosely over her brown locks and green eyes. A odd combination for someone appearing to be '_Japanese_'.

"_The sooner you get your hundred souls, the sooner we can go back to Heaven._"

Her partner never failed to remind the young girl of her mission. Go to Earth, collect a hundred damned souls, and return. It was a very simple order in mind, but to actually carry it out was the difficult part. In the days of her 'grand-parents', one could simply go down, collect souls, and come back all within a week.

Nowadays, humans have created something they call '_police'_ and '_news_'. Police were a problem for shinigami since they seemed to believe that humans were collecting the souls of other humans. Sakura had no way to figure out how they would reach this conclusion, surely they knew that shinigami and angels existed, correct? So wouldn't it make sense that they would collect the souls? As their '_holy books_' would suggest? Never mind that train of thought. It doesn't matter. What they think, is what they think. The news spreads what the police assume, typically false information, and sends fear into the hearts of the humans. Or, on more drastic cases, the police point out one individual and put the blame on him/her. Most likely resulting in a innocent being killed in cold blood. Damning more souls.

Such is the cycle of life.

Her partner had no problems with this cycle, claiming that it brought around more for them. Sakura however, found it revolting how they could kill each other without feeling regret. Although, she supposed, if shinigami and tenshi could be cruel to their own members, then humans could do it as well. They never went as far as _murder_ though. Any ill intent was always apologized for later.

Always. . . .

"I know, thank you Reaper." Reaper. The name of her partner. Reaper was not his specific name, but actually the type of partner he was. Humans would call partners '_weapons_'. Shinigami found this sickening, seeing how weapons had souls, thus they should be treated as equals. Partners were determined at birth, using the shinigami's soul to match the baby with a partner. Partners were often recycled, when a shinigami died of tragic causes, their partner was turned in to be used again.

There was a special case were no partner could match the baby. In that case, the baby would simply create their partner from a fragment of their soul. Sakura was the only female out of five known cases of this occurrence. There were as many types of partners as there was shinigami's. The generic ones were Gun, Arrow, Lance, Chain, Sword, Axe, Burst, and Reaper.

Sakura's personal favorite was Burst simply because of the peculiar nature of it. Burst was what humans would call a '_microphone'_. It amplified the shinigami's soul until it could be 'heard'. The resulting effects are paralysis, confusion, or death.

That was enough about that, she concluded, for Reaper does not like having mental lectures.

Only mental lectures since when a partner is not in their physical form, they take residence in the shinigami's 'body'. Hence why a shinigami's soul has to match up with their partner.

"_Good thing your body is quite roomy." _Reaper said. "_Although a few more curves here or there would be nice. You should eat more, I like stretching my body you know._"

"Please be quiet." Sakura said holding her slim stomach as she walked among the humans.

**xXxXx**

A chime rang loudly through out the halls as a young girl smiled and ran down a hall. Her dress fluttered behind her in a angelic fashion. Elderly women she passed simply smiled and giggled to themselves. One girl frowned in distaste as the girl came running up to her. This girl, no woman, had a long black robe on that dragged on the ground a bit. Her hair hidden from view by a black and white wimple. A cross sparkled brightly on her chest.

"Why are you late?" She accused the young girl. The young girl knelt down before the woman and bowed her head.

"Forgive me Sister." The woman frowned and reluctantly placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. Once the contact was made the girl rose.

"I find such an apology is not quite satisfying," The young girl winced. "but it shall have to suffice. Come on along now sister Tomoyo." The girl, Sister Tomoyo, nodded and followed the woman. They walked down the hallway leading deeper into the monastery. Tomoyo looked at the woman every few steps or so, trying to read her face. The woman had a built in scowl on her pale lips, every though they were six years apart. Tomoyo picked up speed to match this woman, even though she knew where they were going it was respectful to appear unaware and follow a bit behind someone. She could walk beside the woman, but it had been made painfully clear to Tomoyo by her that they were _not_ equals as such a position would suggest.

It was a bit hard for Tomoyo not to notice that less and less people were seen as they continued walking, the only people appearing now were young girls such as herself bending over rags with dirty soap buckets at their sides. Tomoyo had caught the gaze of a young girl as they walked past and found herself unable to look away. Not only had it gotten darker the further in they went, but it got quieter. The woman had been holding a candle, so they only bit of light in this part of the monastery came from them. The young girl looked hopeful but absolutely died on the inside when they walked away. Tomoyo watched as she turned her gaze down to her dirty fingernails and bruised limbs as she moved her hand to once again clean the floor, before her body was enveloped in darkness.

"Do you feel compassion for them?" The woman asked. Tomoyo willed her head to shake.

"Such trials are the way one becomes pure. Scrubbing away the filth of the environment to clean the soul." She repeated as it had been told to her when she was on the ground. The woman nodded and turned her gaze to a wooden door ahead of them. Tomoyo gulped, she had noticed against her will that the handle of the door were two awfully bloodstained angels. The woman reached her hand out and rapped three times. The slight pitter patter of human feet came from the other side along with the clinking of chains. From behind them emerged a gang of girls with ropes in their mouths and cloth covering their eyes, old rustic chains dragging along behind them connected to their ankles as they gathered around them and pulled on the door. Tomoyo blanched as she saw the burn marks on their faces and the candle wax inside their ears and dripping slightly out of them.

Tomoyo's face scrunched up in confusion at the slave treatment of the girls who barely reached her hips.

"Offenders of the order." The woman to her right supplied. "These girls have done some offense and were punished accordingly. They shall see no evil," She said gesturing to the dirty cloths. "speak no evil," She said lightly touching the bloodstained and wet ropes. "and hear no evil." She said not bothering to look at the burned ears of the children. Tomoyo nodded although the urge to vomit was still there. "You were in such a gang, were you not?" The woman asked brushing her cold fingers against Tomoyo's ear.

"No, I wasn't." Tomoyo replied fighting urges to pull away and run. "My family was killed by a fire." She explained. The woman nodded and led Tomoyo inside. The gang of children already marching away to an invisible drum.

The room was very dark, but once the doors loudly clamped shut, a set of candles lit up and illuminated the violent tapestries on the wall. A old woman sat in a very tall chair at the end of the room. A small sliver of a wooden walkway led them up to her. Along the sides of this very wide yet seemingly narrow room were an array of nightmare inducing objects. The walls were covered in picture of people being slaughtered by demons, or demons being slaughtered by nuns, or harsh reprimands of betraying the order. Tomoyo shivered involuntarily at the sight of a demon ripping a cow in two.

On the ground were suspicious cages filled with shadows, and a few girls chained to the ground. Tomoyo didn't want to know what they did. Peering over the walk way she saw that there was a pitfall. She gulped and continued to walk along it carefully. One girl lightly grasped her foot, and met Tomoyo's fearful gaze.

"Help me." She whispered. "The darkness. . .help . . .it comes closer. . .help me-" She whispered frantically looking with paranoia at the cages behind Tomoyo. The woman turned around and glared at the girl.

"Who said you could speak?" She asked coldly. The girl jumped. Tomoyo looked at her guide in wonder.

"Forgive me, please don't send me back, forgive me, please don't send me back, forgive me, please don't send me back-" She sputtered out possessively. The woman shook her head.

"Back to the dungeons." The woman leaned over and pulled a lever resting beside each of the girls. The girl looked up shocked and wildly. A loud clanking was heard and the chains attached to the girl tightened and pulled her down the pitfall. The girl screamed, but soon was silenced. Another girl was pulled up from the pitfall, and took her place where the girl used to be. She kissed the foot of the woman.

"I will not betray." She said softly.

"What are you waiting for?" The woman spat out at Tomoyo. "Don't leave Mother Superior waiting." Tomoyo nodded and barely tripped over her own feet in an effort to get to the old woman sitting at the end of the walkway. They both knelt as they reached her and in practiced harmony said their welcomes.

"Welcome Sister Mafuyu, Sister Tomoyo." The old woman said her voice as loud as the creaking of the floor.

"Mother Superior." They answered. Mother Superior nodded.

"I would presume that this is Sister Tomoyo?" Mother Superior said pointing a old wrinkled finger at Tomoyo.

"Yes Mother Superior." Mafuyu replied. A look of anger flashed on the old woman's face.

"Was I speaking to you Sister Mafuyu?" Mafuyu looked down and shook her head.

"No, Mother Superior." Mother Superior didn't dwell on the manner but instead cast her gaze on Tomoyo.

"How old are you Sister Tomoyo?" She asked. Tomoyo didn't meet her eyes but instead decided to look at her nose.

"18 years Mother Superior," Mother Superior began to scowl. "but I have been in training for 14." The look faded as quick as it came.

"As you know 14 is the year a girl becomes a woman." She began, Tomoyo nodded. "It is time you join your Sisters in the Order." Tomoyo did not show any nervousness but on the inside she heart was pounding in her head. Late in the cells, as their rooms were called, all of the young girls would share stories about the trials they had heard.

"_I heard that Sister Yuka had to travel to Kotonomi and capture 18 newborns." Harden has gushed. _

"_Sister Terebiya had to kill a whole brothel." _

"_Well, get this! Sister Abiee had to slaughter a demon living in Okotoyo." _

"_Oh yeah? Sister Kelli had to survive a whole year in the dungeons." _

"_What did Sister Mafuyu tell you Tomoyo?" Reya had asked her._

"_Uh, she refuses to tell me about her trial. Saying that 'Just pray you do not receive it.'" _

Tomoyo had prayed, she cast a nervous glance at Mafuyu, who kept her head down but Tomoyo could tell in her mind she was praying.

"Recently it has come to the Order's attention that we have a unwanted presence in the city." Mother Superior began, "Sister Tomoyo, your trial is to capture dead or alive a shinigami."

"Shinigami?" Tomoyo gasped out. She didn't notice Mafuyu stiffen. Mother Superior's eyes grew cold. Tomoyo gulped and looked down again.

"Did I stutter Sister Tomoyo?" She said coldly.

"No, Mother Superior."

"Very well then. Yes, a shinigami. It is quite necessary to banish them from our city. They are the ones who banish the souls of the living and control the entire demon race. Do this, and you shall be in the Order. Fail and. . ." Her eyes went past Tomoyo at the girls chained to the ground.

Tomoyo got the message.

"Yes, Mother Superior." Tomoyo said trying not to let her would tremble. She had heard about the dungeons. Sister Kelli was the most skittish and paranoid person to walk the earth. Her skin was paper white and her eyes very blank. She was tall and skinny, her movements frantic as if she was running from something. She was a walking skeleton.

"You have a limit of one year." Mother Superior continued. "Take the weapon of your choice. You will travel to the East Branch of the Order. Tell no one of your purpose outside of the Order. Do your job secretly, others do not understand our cause." She paused letting it all sink in. "I will tell you all I know about this shinigami. A Sister sent to investigate has been able to confirm that it does appear female, and gives off to be about the same age as you." Something her age? Tomoyo went rigid. That would be like capturing Sister Reya, or Harden, or Yuuki, or Lily. Could she do that?

Mother Superior sensed her discomfort. "Do not bother yourself with worthless thoughts Sister Tomoyo. Although this shinigami appears to be your age, keep it in your mind that it is a blood thirsty killer that will kill you before you can even beg for your soul. It has the power to rally a army of demons, do not forget that." She said sternly. Tomoyo nodded.

"This shinigami has also been confirmed to be at least a Beta class-" Mafuyu gasped cutting off Mother Superior, who stopped and looked at Mafuyu.

"Forgive me Mother Superior. I'm just not sure if such an inexperienced person such as Sister Tomoyo can handle such a class level." Any hostility Tomoyo would have felt by such a comment was gone when she reminded herself what exactly a Beta class shinigami could do. If it was even that, for all she knew it could be an Alpha Class. Tomoyo shuddered.

"Do you doubt me Sister Mafuyu?" She asked, a fear stirring in the bottom of Tomoyo's gut as she spoke.

"N-No Mother Superior." Mafuyu stuttered, something Tomoyo has never heard her do before.

"Just as I thought. Sister Tomoyo, retire to your cell for the day. Sister Mafuyu, I will deal with you later." Mother Superior said implying something Tomoyo didn't want to imagine.

"Yes, Mother Superior." Tomoyo replied shakily rooted to her spot.

"Did I stutter again Sister Tomoyo? Leave." Tomoyo nodded and scurried out of the room, glancing back once she reached the door to watch as Mother Superior took a out a long baton from her robe and raise it into the air.

When she finally got to the cell she released a huge sigh of relief. All of her cell mates were already there, staring anxiously at her as she slipped out of her robe. She stared back at them confused. Each cell had five beds arrange in a circle inside it, so it was no surprise that her cellmates would be in there. What _had_ confused her was that all of the other apprentices were there as well, all 25 of the girls orphaned in the great fires.

"What are you-" Tomoyo began fingering her nightgown nervously.

"Tell us." Lily spat out. "What did Mother Superior give you?" The other girls nodded their consent. Tomoyo sighed and put down her gown on her bed. Tomoyo looked at the hopeful faces of the other girls.

"I am to travel to the East Branch." Tomoyo explained.

"Oh." Harden said softly. She placed a comforting hand on Tomoyo's shoulder. "That isn't that far Tomoyo, you could come and visit and. . ." Harden fell silent. Tomoyo drew in a shaky breath.

"I have to capture a shinigami." The whole room gasped. Tomoyo winced and how Harden's hand squeezed her in shock.

"Funny." Lily said standing up. "That was very funny Tomoyo, now, what's your real trial?" Lily said angrily. Tomoyo shook her head.

"That _was_ my task. I wouldn't lie to any of you."

"It's not that bad," It was Yuuki who spoke up this time. Tomoyo flinched, she didn't expect the ever so silent Yuuki to say anything. "at least you don't have to go down to the dungeons for a year." She said hopefully and shyly.

"Right!" Another girl who Tomoyo didn't know spoke up. "You get to stay in the country."

Harden smiled and hugged Tomoyo. "You can write to us, tell us how you're doing."

"If you live." Lily said hatefully. Everyone stared at her. "You aren't telling us something Tomoyo, I can tell." A hush fell over the room attacking Tomoyo. Tomoyo hung her head. Of course Lily would be able to tell, they had known each other since before the fires. Lily was studying under Sister Terebiya, who no one thought was quite right in the head. It seemed, judging from the wild look in Lily's eyes, that some of it had rubbed off on her. "It's not just any old shinigami is it?"

"Beta class." Tomoyo mumbled. Everyone gasped and clung to each other in fear. That wasn't all, when a very loud crash was heard. Tomoyo stood up as the last our her cellmates stood up hesitantly, blood dripping down her fingers and a broken lamp lay by her feet.

Reya glared heatedly at Tomoyo who felt guilt drip into her mind as blood dripped onto the ground. Reya's eyes were dimming as her blood dripped to the ground. She made no move to stop the small cut from bleeding, and everyone watched as she moved slowly, like a ghost, towards Tomoyo.

Kelli had been rubbing off on her too much.

"Reya-" Tomoyo began. Reya ran out of the cell, Lily staring at Tomoyo for a moment more; she ran out as well calling Reya's name. Harden smiled and stood up.

"Well ladies, I think that Tomoyo is having a rough night, wouldn't you agree?" Yuuki nodded and herded everyone out with little mumbles about how Lily was mad and Reya was crying and that everyone should keep their noses in their own business. Tomoyo took this opportunity to slip her nightgown on so that she wasn't in her underwear forever.

Yuuki closed the door and turned around and stared at Tomoyo, who gulped at her intense stare. She looked as if she was searching for something in her eyes, but didn't find it. Harden sighed and pulled on her night gown and handed Tomoyo a brush.

"What's this for Harden?" Tomoyo asked. Harden smiled and nudged her head over in front of Tomoyo. "What?" She asked turning around to be met with Yuuki standing in front of her with her nightgown on as well.

Tomoyo smiled as Yuuki sat in front of her. Carefully Tomoyo undid Yuuki's braids.

"I don't understand why you braid your hair so much Yuuki." Harden said grabbing a small comb and running it through her own ginger locks. Yuuki didn't say anything but hummed as an explanation. Tomoyo laughed.

Yuuki closed her eyes as Tomoyo brushed her wavy brown hair. Tomoyo smiled sadly as she did so.

"This might be the last time I get to brush your hair Yuuki." Yuuki stiffened, but said nothing as usual.

"Don't think of it that way." Harden said softly putting her comb down. "Do you know when you'll leave?" Tomoyo mulled about this for a while.

"No, Mother Superior didn't say, but I'm assuming soon." Tomoyo sighed. "I bet Reya and Lily hate me now." Harden clicked her tongue.

"No they don't. They just need some time to get used to the idea that you're leaving and might not come back."

"Or if I do come back that it might be to live in the dungeons my whole life." Harden tried to laugh, but sounded like a choking chicken. Yuuki turned around and lightly slapped Tomoyo on her cheek slowly, before smiling a little.

"I'm sorry, I won't talk like that anymore Yuuki." Tomoyo giggled. After a few more moments of discussing the future and the runaway duo, Tomoyo bid goodnight to her two best friends.

She closed her eyes to get the sleep that she knew she would need when she heard a strange noise. It sounded like soft knocking? Tomoyo slowly got up and walked to the door, she opened it and stuck her head out.

"Hello?" She called.

"Tomoyo." Tomoyo gasped at the sight of Mafuyu, but knew it was rude to comment. Mafuyu's cheek had a huge gash in it, and Tomoyo noticed she wasn't putting any pressure on her right foot. Mafuyu smiled softly. Another thing Tomoyo knew not to comment on.

"It's late, forgive me."

"It's-It's okay. What did you need?" Mafuyu stared at the ground a bit, before reaching inside her robe. She pulled a small chain with a cross on it. Tomoyo stared at it in wonder.

"This was mine, when I had to do the trial. It. . . it may bring you luck." She said placing it around Tomoyo's neck. "You will leave in the morning after breakfast. Your train will take you to downtown Tokyo, from there a car will be waiting to take you to the East Branch. Sister Sonomi will be your guide from there. Letters will be delivered between the two branches every week." She mumbled. "Only, no letters will be sent to trainees." She added as an after thought. "I wouldn't tell them this, it wouldn't give them any hope to hold onto."

"Thank you." Tomoyo said in a daze. She had never seen Mafuyu so calm or kind to her.

"Tomoyo, when you get there.. ." She paused. "Look up Mizuki Kaho for me, will you? Give her this letter." Mafuyu took out a crumpled and dirty letter from her robe and handed it to Tomoyo. "It's not from me, it's from. . ." Her voice trailed off. Tomoyo waited for Mafuyu to continue. Mafuyu's eyes softened and suddenly she looked much younger. Before her own eyes Mafuyu went back to the youthful 24 year old she was supposed to be. It didn't last, she was back to the cold Mafuyu she knew of by the time she had found her voice again. "It's late. I must be going." She turned around.

"God be with, uh, you." Tomoyo mumbled seeing Mafuyu walk away. Mafuyu turned around and stared into Tomoyo's eyes, searching just like Yuuki had, for something that apparently she didn't find.

"God be with you Tomoyo. I doubt we'll see each other again."

"What? Why?" Tomoyo asked. Mafuyu sighed.

"Mother Superior is transferring me to the North Branch." Tomoyo gasped. Mafuyu shifted her weight.

"There are monks there that she believes a connection with them will be fruitful. I and some other Sisters are going there as brides." Mafuyu scowled. "Don't bother trying to meet me again. I want to be remembered as your guide, not as a woman sold to strengthen our monastery."

"Yes Mafuyu." Tomoyo nodded. Mafuyu smiled and began to walk away. Tomoyo hugged the letter and with another hand touched the necklace.

"Mafuyu is leaving." She said softly. "I'm leaving too."

"Mafuyu is leaving?" Tomoyo jumped and turned to look at who spoke. It was Lily and Reya, who had a bandage on her arm. "Is this true?"

"Yes, tomorrow. Her and some other guides." Lily and Reya looked at each other.

"Why?" Lily asked now calm from her earlier outburst. Tomoyo thought back to what Mafuyu said, '_I don't want to be remembered as a woman sold to strengthen our monastery'. _Tomoyo smiled.

"It's late, come back inside." The girls gave each other another wary glance, but walked inside.

"You didn't answer." Reya mumbled. Tomoyo smiled again.

"Oh that?" '_Don't bother trying to meet me again.'_ "I don't know."

**xXxXx**

**Well, I don't know how monasteries usually work, but in this story, I'm making it up. :D So, this is Rituals, a major edit of 'DEAD LOVE'. This story was about 5,693 words, but don't expect that often. I just overdid Tomoyo's part. XD I don't know when the next update will be, but keep your eyes out for it. Also, see any mistakes? Tell me! :D**

**-Ree. **


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